Report to Congress

National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing 

on Railroad Property

October 2018

Federal Railroad Administration

U.S. Department of Transportation
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National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

Table of Contents

Executive Summary......................................................................................................................... i

Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 1

Trespassing on Railroad Property................................................................................................... 2

Definition .................................................................................................................................. 2

Types of Accidents ................................................................................................................... 2

Complexities of the Problem .................................................................................................... 3

Scope of the Problem................................................................................................................ 4

Distance Between Trespassing Accidents and Grade Crossings.............................................. 5

FRA Efforts to Address Trespassing ........................................................................................ 7

Costs and Effects of Railroad Trespassing ............................................................................... 9

FRA’s Field Survey - Site Review Teams’ Executive Summaries............................................... 11

Contributing Factors ..................................................................................................................... 14

Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 15

National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property .................................................. 17

The Four Strategic Areas of the National Strategy................................................................. 18

Metrics for Success................................................................................................................. 20

Implementation Milestones and Timeline by Strategic Area ................................................. 20

Abbreviations in this Report

AIS Abbreviated Injury Scale

CRISI Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements

FRA Federal Railroad Administration

FY Fiscal Year

VSL Value of a Statistical Life
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National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

i

Executive Summary

Trespassing on railroad property is the leading cause of all rail-related deaths in the United 

States. More people are struck and killed by trains each year while trespassing – illegally 

entering or remaining on a railroad right-of-way – than in motor vehicle collisions with trains at 

highway-rail grade crossings. Between 2012 and 2017, the annual number of trespass-related 

pedestrian fatalities increased 18 percent, from 725 people killed in 2012 to 855 in 2017. In 

calendar year 2018, 324 pedestrian trespass fatalities had occurred by July 31, 2018. Data

indicates that the number of trespassing occurrences each year far exceeds the number of 

fatalities and injuries. This raises serious concern of the potential for even more trespasser 

accidents.

In its report on the fiscal year (FY) 2018 Department of Transportation appropriation,

1

the 

U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations requested the Federal Railroad 

Administration (FRA) study and identify the causal factors that lead to trespassing incidents on 

railroad property. The Committee also asked FRA to develop a national strategy to prevent 

trespasser incidents and submit it to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations by 

August 1, 2018. This document responds to the Committee’s request.

In October 2017, FRA formed a team of experts to study the problem of people being killed or 

injured while trespassing on railroad property. To help understand the problem’s scope, the team 

analyzed the costs to railroads and society. The team found that trespass accidents during the

five-year period from 2012 to 2016 cost society approximately $43 billion.

2

 The team also 

reviewed existing research and data related to railroad trespasser fatalities nationwide for the 

four-year period between November 2013 and October 2017. The team found that, of the 3,100 

counties and county equivalents in the United States, approximately 14 percent of trespasser 

fatalities occurred in 10 counties in 4 different states.

3 Moreover, 74 percent of all trespasser 

deaths and injuries in that four-year period occurred within 1,000 feet (less than 1⁄4 of 1 mile) of a 

grade crossing.

FRA regional teams conducted field surveys in 6 of the top 10 counties to gather data related to 

rail operations, social demographics, and circumstances surrounding individual trespass incidents

in those counties. FRA’s research and field surveys identified several contributing factors, 

including the behavior and choices of individuals who trespass on railroad property and lack of 

knowledge and appreciation of trespassing dangers. FRA found that communities tend to focus 

 

1 U.S. House of Representatives, House Report No. 115-237, July 21, 2017.

2 This cost includes the value of fatalities, injuries, and travel time delay due to trespassing incidents. It does not 

include indirect costs such as emotional distress or productivity losses.

3

In this report, FRA refers to these as the top 10 counties.
National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

ii

their finite resources on higher-priority law enforcement issues, such as homicides, illegal drugs, 

and highway crashes. These issues often take precedence over the investigation and prosecution 

of trespasser offenses. As a result, even when railroad trespass violations are reported to law 

enforcement, the violations are rarely prosecuted, reducing the perceived negative consequences 

for trespassing. FRA also found that community-planning decisions (such as the location of bus 

stops in relation to safe crossing paths) might lead to trespassing.

FRA’s past efforts to address the problem of people trespassing on railroad property have 

focused on outreach to the public, railroads, and law enforcement agencies. FRA’s approach has 

not been a national, proactive approach to address the root causes of trespassing. Instead, FRA’s 

historical approach has been dependent its regional staff and resources reacting to specific safety 

issues on a case-by-case basis. 

FRA’s current analysis demonstrates that it needs to do more than educate and facilitate 

mitigation measures when issues arise. To this end, FRA developed the National Strategy to 

Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property. It focuses on four strategic areas: (1) data gathering 

and analysis; (2) community site visits; (3) funding; and (4) partnerships with stakeholders. The 

key elements of each of these strategic areas are listed below.

Strategic Area 1. Data Gathering and Analysis

• Transition to a data driven, centrally managed, regionally implemented program.

• Identify new data sources and explore statutory, regulatory, or other authorities to protect 

new data.

• Develop and use a trespasser risk model.

• Consider changes to railroad reporting regulations to improve the data available to FRA 

and other stakeholders.

Strategic Area 2. Community Site Visits

• Communicate information to FRA regional staff for targeted engagement.

• Develop standard operating procedures for conducting regional community site visits.

• Assign regional assets to identified hot spots to engage railroads, police, and local 

governments in partnerships using data to identify location-specific causal factors and 

assist with identifying and implementing mitigation strategies.

Strategic Area 3. Funding 

• Work through the executive and Congressional budget cycles to identify funding to 

strengthen grant programs for trespasser mitigation, such as engineering solutions, law 

enforcement overtime, school resource officers, and outreach.
National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

iii

• Include information on the availability of grants and other funding as part of FRA’s

survey and outreach program.

• Work through the executive and Congressional budget cycles to identify funding for a 

national trespasser public service announcement campaign.

Strategic Area 4. Develop Partnerships with Stakeholders

• Convene trespasser prevention summits with representatives from each of the top 

10 counties for trespasser casualties to engage local community leaders, law enforcement, 

railroads, and the public.

• Collaborate with government agencies and other organizations, including the Substance 

Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Global Railway Alliance for 

Suicide Prevention, on targeted outreach to address suicides.

• Share trespasser hot spot data with advocacy organizations, such as Operation Lifesaver, 

Inc., so they can focus their activities to yield the greatest returns on investment.

The success of this national strategy is dependent on several factors outside of FRA’s control. 

For example, gathering and analyzing the railroads’ close call data4 would help FRA identify and 

target trespassing hot spots more effectively. However, FRA does not have specific statutory 

authority to protect this data from disclosure and use in judicial actions to determine damages or 

liability for trespasser accidents. FRA expects railroads would be more likely to share this

information with such protection in place. Successful implementation of this national strategy 

will be best served by sufficient resources and cooperation of all stakeholders.

 

4 A trespassing close call is a situation in which a trespasser is almost struck by a train, but escapes without injury 

and the incident is captured by a locomotive camera and/or reported by a train crew.
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National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

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Introduction

Trespassing on railroad property is the leading cause of all rail-related deaths in the United 

States. Annually, more fatalities and injuries occur due to trespassing on railroad property than 

motor vehicle collisions with trains at highway-rail grade crossings. Total annual trespassrelated pedestrian fatalities have increased 18 percent from 725 in 2012 to 855 in 2017. In 

calendar year 2018, 324 pedestrian trespass fatalities had occurred by July 31, 2018.

In its report on the FY 2018 Department of Transportation appropriation, the U.S. House of 

Representatives Committee on Appropriations asked FRA to study and identify the factors that 

lead to trespassing incidents on railroad property and to develop a national strategy to prevent 

them. The Committee directed FRA to include milestones, timelines, and metrics to define 

success in its strategy. The Committee expects FRA to implement its trespasser accident

prevention strategy within the specified timelines. The Committee asked FRA to submit the 

strategy to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations by August 1, 2018. This report 

responds to this request and contains the results of FRA’s research and field surveys. 

FRA’s analysis of available data for the period between November 2013 and October 2017 

identified the ten counties in the United States where most pedestrian trespasser casualties 

occurred.

5

 Table 1 lists these counties from most to least casualties. 

Table 1: U.S. Counties with the Most Railroad Trespasser Casualties, Not Including Suicides 

November 2013 to October 2017

Rank County Casualties Rank County Casualties

1 Los Angeles, California 110 6 Palm Beach, Florida 47

2 Cook (Chicago), Illinois 109 7 Fresno, California 46

3 San Bernardino, California 59 7 Riverside, California 46

4 Harris (Houston), Texas 52 9 Contra Costa, California 44

5 Broward, Florida 51 9 San Diego, California 44

Source: FRA analysis

 

5 Casualties include fatalities and injuries.
National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

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Trespassing on Railroad Property

Definition

Railroads own their rights-of-way and have a reasonable expectation of operating on their 

property without the presence or interference of unauthorized people. Any unauthorized person 

who enters or remains on a railroad right-of-way, equipment, or facility is trespassing. 

Trespassing on private railroad property, including a railroad’s right-of-way, is illegal. 

Pedestrians and motorists are permitted on railroad property where an authorized crossing (either 

roadway or pedestrian) intersects with the railroad right-of-way at a grade crossing, provided 

highway traffic control signals and other signage are obeyed.

FRA distinguishes between trespass accidents and trespass incidents for its national strategy.

Trespass Accidents. When one or more trespassers is struck and killed or injured by a train or 

other means while on railroad property without authority. This report refers to individuals 

injured or killed because of trespassing on railroad property as casualties.

Trespass Incidents. When law enforcement, railroad personnel, or cameras observe one or more

trespassers on railroad property. Instances of trespassing in which the trespasser is not struck by 

a train or otherwise injured or killed on railroad property.

Types of Accidents

FRA grouped trespass accidents into three categories for analysis and development of its national 

strategy.

Accidents Involving Trespass Casualties at Grade Crossings. This type of trespass casualty 

occurs when a pedestrian climbs either through a train stopped at a grade crossing or over or 

around gates or other physical barriers to enter a grade crossing when a train is approaching. 

FRA data shows 12 percent of trespassing pedestrian casualties, not including suicides, occur at 

grade crossings. About 2 percent (3,000 miles) of U.S. rail miles are at grade crossings.

Accidents Involving Trespass Casualties on All Other Segments of Railroad Rights-of-Way. 

The remaining 98 percent (137,000 miles) of U.S. route miles not at grade crossings are other 

segments of railroad rights-of-way. Although trespassing can occur anywhere along a right-ofway, 74 percent of trespassing casualties, not including suicides, occur within 1,000 feet (less 

than 1⁄4 of 1 mile) of a grade crossing.

Suicides and Suicide Attempts. This type of trespass accident occurs when a person enters a 

railroad right-of-way with the intent of being struck and killed by a train. FRA data indicate that 

at least 30 percent of fatalities that occur on the rail system result from an intentional act of 

suicide. Similar to trespass casualties on segments of railroad rights-of-way other than grade 
National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

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crossings, 73 percent of suicide attempts occur within 1,000 feet of a grade crossing. When an 

accident is classified as a suicide, it is removed from the casualty data.

Complexities of the Problem

Trespassing on railroad property is a complex problem because of the differing priorities of 

individuals and the communities in which trespassing occurs. FRA’s limited authority to address 

the issue and varying state laws affecting how a railroad or local authority may enforce 

trespassing laws are compounding factors. For FRA and many affected communities, a lack of 

sufficient resources and clear data are primary concerns. 

Individuals. At its core, the problem of trespassing starts when an individual enters private 

railroad property without authority to do so. Most trespassers make this choice because crossing 

railroad property provides the most direct route to a desired destination. The person might be 

unaware of the dangers involved in trespassing on railroad property. The person could be 

distracted by another activity (e.g., hunting, bicycling, riding all-terrain vehicles, using a cell 

phone or earbuds). These circumstances can lead to deadly consequences.

Communities. From a community’s perspective, public safety issues, such as homicides, illegal 

drugs, and highway crashes, can take precedence over investigating and prosecuting railroad 

trespass offenses. FRA found in each of the top 10 counties, over a four-year period, the number 

of railroad trespass casualties was less than two percent of the respective county’s total 

homicides, drug-related deaths, and highway fatalities. Local and state governments often focus 

their finite resources on their higher-priority issues. In many instances, railroad trespassers are 

not prosecuted even when law enforcement is aware of the incidents.

Local land use decisions can affect the likelihood of trespassing on railroad property or rights-ofway. For example, community decisions regarding the placement of public buildings and 

services, such as homeless shelters, food pantries, and schools, or approval of new construction 

can affect the number of railroad trespassers.

FRA. In 2008, Congress directed the U.S. Department of Transportation to develop and 

maintain a comprehensive outreach program to address trespassing on railroad property and 

strengthen relevant enforcement strategies by improving communication among Federal, state, 

and local entities.6 FRA’s efforts to mitigate trespassing on railroad property have focused on

data gathering and sharing and outreach to the public, railroads, and law enforcement. FRA 

regulations require railroads to report deaths, injuries, and occupational illnesses arising from the 

operation of a railroad.

7

 This reporting requirement includes trespasser casualties. However, 

trespassing on railroad property is a law enforcement issue governed by state and local law, 

 

6 United States Code, title 49, section 20151(b).

7 Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, part 225.
National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

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which limits FRA’s authority to address the issue. FRA, however, encourages railroads to 

consider the risks of trespassing accidents as part of their safety planning. When providing 

grants or other funding for new or existing railroads, when allowable, FRA conditions the 

funding on the railroad’s consideration of mitigation of identified risks, including the risk of 

trespassing accidents.

State and Local Law Enforcement. Trespassing on railroad property is a law enforcement issue 

governed by state and local law. State and local law enforcement administer state trespass laws. 

Railroads (particularly Class I and commuter railroads) employ railroad police, whose duties 

typically include investigating incidents of trespassing and confronting trespassers they observe 

in the act of trespassing. Nationwide, railroads employ more than 1,200 railroad police

personnel, whose duties include railroad employee safety, lading protection, theft investigation, 

and trespasser enforcement. Their status and authority as law enforcement officers varies from 

state to state, as does their ability to enforce state and local trespass laws.

Differences in state laws can hinder the efforts of state and local law enforcement officers, as 

well as those of railroad police, by making it difficult for railroads to enforce or legally address 

trespassing. In some states, a person who trespasses on railroad property could be guilty of a 

misdemeanor – punishable by a fine and/or imprisonment in state prison or county jail. Other 

states appear to have carved out “permissive use” or “frequent trespass” exceptions to the general 

rule. Under these exceptions, if the railroad has permitted the public to travel over its track at a 

specific location for a considerable period and a sizeable number of people have done so, the 

railroad could be liable for injuries to trespassers. Some states impose a knowledge requirement,

i.e., a person who enters or remains on railroad property without the owner’s consent must know 

that it is railroad property, to be guilty of trespassing. In other states, local law enforcement can 

address trespassing concerns on private property only when its department receives written 

authorization from the private property owner.

Scope of the Problem

Each day on average in the United States three people are killed or injured while trespassing on 

railroad property, including over 1,100 pedestrians in 2017. Approximately 800 railroads 

operate over 140,000 route miles and through 210,093 grade crossings to serve the communities 

and industries in which the U.S. population, more than 325 million people in 2017, lives and 

works.8 Railroads operate through diverse geographical areas, including congested urban centers 

and sparsely populated rural areas. Around major cities, the larger and denser populations result 

in increased passenger and freight train traffic to support that population. This increased train 

traffic increases the likelihood of trespassing accidents. In more sparsely populated rural areas,

 

8 FRA data and U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2017, 

December 2017.
National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

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local law enforcement officers and railroad police face challenges monitoring and enforcing 

trespassing activity along remote stretches of railroad right-of-way.

FRA presumes the number of reported trespassing accidents is a small fraction of the number of 

trespassing occurrences. Using data one Class I railroad shared voluntarily, FRA found the

railroad’s reported number of close calls9 was much larger than the number of casualties, 

excluding suicides, over the same timeframe. This difference indicates that the potential for 

additional trespassing casualties is significant.

In response to the House Committee’s request to identify and study the factors that lead to 

trespassing incidents, FRA’s experts from its Offices of Railroad Safety and Railroad Policy and 

Development studied available data. For the four-year period between November 2013 and

October 2017, the team determined:

• Nationwide, excluding suicides, 4,242 pedestrians were killed or injured while 

trespassing on railroad property. With the 1,175 suicides included, the total rises to 5,417

people.

• Of the approximately 3,100 counties and county-equivalents in the United States, 

approximately 14 percent of all trespasser casualties occurred in 10 counties in 4 different 

states.

• In the top 10 counties, excluding suicides, 300 pedestrian trespassers were killed. With 

the 169 suicides included, the total increases to 469.

• 6 of the top 10 counties for trespasser casualties were in California and accounted for 

7.9 percent of the U.S. total.

• The county with the most trespasser casualties, 110, was Los Angeles County, California,

followed closely by Cook County(Chicago), Illinois, with 109 casualties.

• 74 percent of trespassing casualties occurred within 1,000 feet of a grade crossing.

• Slips, trips, and falls while trespassing caused 185 casualties, or 5 percent of trespassing 

casualties not at grade crossings.

Distance Between Trespassing Accidents and Grade Crossings

Approximately 73 percent of trespassing suicides and attempted suicide casualties and 74 percent 

of trespassing casualties excluding suicides occur within 1,000 feet (less than 1⁄4 of 1 mile) of a 

highway-rail grade crossing. FRA global information system mapping data includes the 

locations of all reported pedestrian trespasser accidents, including suspected suicides and 

 

9 A trespassing close call is a situation in which a trespasser is almost struck by a train, but escapes without injury 

and the incident is captured by a locomotive camera and/or reported by a train crew.
National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

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attempted suicides that have occurred since July 2012. Table 2 below shows the percentage of 

suicide and attempted suicide trespasser accidents nationwide by distance from a grade crossing 

from November 2013 to October 2017. The cumulative percentage of casualties by distance 

from a grade crossing is also listed. Table 3 shows the number of non-suicide trespasser 

casualties and cumulative percentage nationwide and in the top 10 counties by distance from a 

grade crossing for the same period.

Table 2: Location of Suicides and Attempted Suicides, November 2013 to October 2017

Distance from a Highway-Rail 

Grade Crossing (feet)

Percentage of

Suicides and Attempts

Cumulative Percentage of 

Suicides and Attempts

At a grade crossing 11 % 11 %

Within 50 7 % 18 %

50 to 100 6 % 24 %

100 to 200 10 % 34 %

200 to 300 9 % 43 %

300 to 400 7 % 50 %

400 to 500 5 % 55 %

500 to 1,000 18 % 73 %

1,000 to 5,000 24 % 97 %

5,000 to 10,000 2 % 99 %

More than 10,000 1 % 100 %

Source: FRA analysis

Table 3: Location of Pedestrian Trespasser Casualties, Excluding Suicides, November 2013 to

October 2017

Distance from a Highway-Rail 

Grade Crossing (feet)

Casualties Nationwide Casualties in Top 10 Counties

Cumulative 

Number

Cumulative 

Percentage

Cumulative 

Number

Cumulative 

Percentage

At a grade crossing 516 12 % 102 18 %

Within 50 853 20 % 27 23 %

50 to 100 1,116 26 % 29 28 %

100 to 200 1,608 38 % 56 38 %

200 to 300 1,973 46 % 49 47 %

300 to 400 2,232 53 % 42 55 %

400 to 500 2,462 58 % 31 60 %

500 to 600 2,658 63 % 20 64 %
National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

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Table 3: Location of Pedestrian Trespasser Casualties, Excluding Suicides, November 2013 to

October 2017

Distance from a Highway-Rail 

Grade Crossing (feet)

Casualties Nationwide Casualties in Top 10 Counties

Cumulative 

Number

Cumulative 

Percentage

Cumulative 

Number

Cumulative 

Percentage

600 to 700 2,798 66 % 21 67 %

700 to 800 2,945 69 % 16 70 %

800 to 900 3,049 72 % 10 72 %

900 to 1,000 3,142 74 % 12 74 %

1,000 to 1,250 3,328 78 % 25 79 %

1,250 to 1,500 3,477 82 % 21 82 %

1,500 to 2,000 3,711 87 % 30 88 %

2,000 to 3,000 3,950 93 % 21 92 %

3,000 to 5,000 4,107 97 % 24 96 %

5,000 to 10,000 4,186 99 % 12 98 %

More than 10,000 4,242 100 % 11 100 %

Total Casualties 4,242 559

Source: FRA analysis.

FRA Efforts to Address Trespassing

FRA has worked extensively with railroads; state, county, and local governments; and other 

organizations to raise awareness about the inherent dangers and consequences of trespassing. 

The paragraphs below describe some of the work FRA has done to address the issue. FRA’s 

trespass prevention website10 contains many of the research and other documents referenced 

below.

Research. FRA research examines all aspects of trespass prevention with a focus on education,

engineering, and enforcement. FRA researches new technology prototypes, systems, and 

components, and education and enforcement initiatives that have the potential to decrease or 

eliminate railroad trespassing. FRA research includes the demonstration and evaluation of new 

technologies and innovative safety treatments and technology transfer initiatives from other 

modes of transportation (e.g., use of artificial intelligence). These studies enable FRA to develop 

effective methods that, combined with local efforts, reduce railroad trespassing. In July 2018, 

 

10 https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0846.
National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

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FRA published a report intended to provide a baseline measure of trespassing and suicide

incident data from 2012 to 2014.11

Data Analysis. FRA conducted national studies of demographic and market analysis of rail 

trespass fatalities in 2008 and a follow up study in 2013.

12

 The objective was to establish a 

foundation to build an outreach or public education program and assist law enforcement to 

identify demographic populations most at risk. Results indicated that trespassers involved in 

fatal accidents are typically identifiable as white males, with an average age of 38, and with low 

socioeconomic status. These studies led FRA to conclude that many in this demographic might

be intoxicated at the time of trespassing.

Community, Analysis, Response, and Evaluation Rail Trespass Problem-Solving Model. FRA in 

collaboration with Transport Canada developed and published the Community Trespass 

Prevention Guide (Guide) in 2003.13 This guide details a collaborative, systematic problemsolving approach for communities. Called the Community, Analysis, Response, and Evaluation 

rail trespass problem-solving model, the guide presents a non-regulatory approach to addressing 

railroad trespassing in local communities.

Collaboration with National Organizations. FRA promotes trespass prevention programs 

through cooperative efforts with public and private entities to encourage enforcement, 

educational, and engineering activities that effectively reduce trespass incidents and associated 

casualties. FRA collaborates with national organizations, such as Operation Lifesaver, Inc., for 

public outreach and education activities to increase awareness of the dangers of railroad 

trespassing. FRA has provided $1 million annually through grants to Operation Lifesaver, Inc., 

which conducts public outreach and education activities to increase awareness of the dangers of 

railroad trespassing.

National Workshops. FRA hosted three workshops (in 2008, 2012, and 2015) to provide 

stakeholders updates on right-of-way fatality and trespass prevention activities and to solicit 

ideas for future actions and research priorities. The attendees generated more than 80 ideas 

ranging from expanded initiatives to new research projects. Their recommendations included 

increased signage, use of unmanned aerial vehicles, model state laws, and enforcement grants.

 

11 FRA, Characteristics of Trespassing Incidents in the United States (2012-2014), at 

https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/L19581.

12 https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L04702.

13 http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/1265.
National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

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Law Enforcement Outreach. Through the right-of-way workshops and local activities, FRA 

learned that law enforcement wanted a state-by-state listing of trespassing laws. FRA issued the

Compilation of State Laws and Regulations Affecting Highway-Rail Grade Crossings in 2013, 

which is also a mobile application downloadable to any handheld device.14

Costs and Effects of Railroad Trespassing

According to FRA’s economic analysis, the benefits of reducing trespassing accidents can be 

measured in lives saved, injuries reduced, and train delays avoided. This analysis uses data 

reported to FRA over the five-year period from 2012 to 2016. The 9,363 reported trespassing 

accidents during this period cost society $43.2 billion in fatalities and injuries (with an average 

cost of $4.6 million per accident) and more than $56.0 million in travel time delays. These 

calculations do not include unquantified costs to the economy, such as lost productivity, and 

society, such as emotional distress.

Fatalities and Injuries. The benefit of preventing a fatality or injury is measured by the value of 

a statistical life (VSL). VSL is the additional cost society is willing to bear for improvements in 

safety that reduce the expected number of fatalities by one. The U.S. Department of 

Transportation currently sets VSL at $9.6 million.15 In cases of injury, a value is assigned based 

on a fraction of the VSL using the abbreviated injury scale (AIS). AIS categorizes injuries into 

levels of severity from AIS 1 (minor) to AIS 5 (critical) and assigns a dollar value to each 

category of injury. FRA calculated the values of the reported trespasser fatalities and injuries.

• The 4,291 reported trespasser fatalities equate to a value of fatalities over the five-year 

period of approximately $41.2 billion.

• The 5,072 reported trespasser injuries equate to a value of injuries over the five-year 

period of approximately $2.0 billion.

16

Travel Time Delays. When a trespassing accident occurs, the train is required to stop at the 

accident site. One Class I railroad told FRA each time a train strikes a trespasser the initial 

investigation and restoration of traffic flow takes an average of four hours. During this time, 

passengers are waiting on the involved train. FRA estimated the value of this time by assuming 

 

14 https://www.fra.dot.gov/StateLaws.

15 2016 Revised Value of a Statistical Life Guidance.pdf at https://www.transportation.gov/officepolicy/transportation-policy/revised-departmental-guidance-on-valuation-of-a-statistical-life-in-economicanalysis.

16 FRA used National Automotive Sampling System values to assign a monetary value to each individual injury 

type.
National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

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200 passengers per train17 and each passenger’s time on the train is worth $20.40 per hour.18 If

the involved train is carrying freight, FRA estimated the value of this time as $637.26 per hour.19 

In addition, the conductor or engineer on the involved train has a wage rate of $31.57 per hour.20 

FRA used these assumptions to estimate the value of a reduction in train delays, if all expected 

trespass accidents were avoided.

• The value of passenger train delays over the five-year period is $34.1 million.21

• The value of freight train delays over the five-year period is $21.9 million.22

Unquantified Economic and Societal Costs. FRA’s analysis does not include other costs that 

trespasser accidents impose on the economy and society. For example, accident response and 

investigation can delay motorists and their passengers at highway-rail grade crossings. 

Similarly, commercial trucks carrying freight or providing services can incur delays. Other 

trains must be held until a trespass accident is cleared. Costs such as wages and expenses of law 

enforcement personnel who conduct the initial investigations and emergency responders who 

assist the passengers and trespasser(s) are not quantified.

Other unquantified costs include the negative effects on the trespassers and their families and the 

emotional distress of involved railroad personnel and emergency responders. One railroad 

representative told FRA that trespasser accidents often affect even the most experienced 

engineers to the extent they are unable to continue to work. The railroad then has to replace 

them with less experienced ones. The railroad’s labor and training costs rise and safety could be 

adversely impacted as those more experienced engineers leave the workforce.

 

17 FRA estimate.

18 2016 Revised Value of Travel Time Guidance.pdf at https://www.transportation.gov/office-policy/transportationpolicy/revised-departmental-guidance-valuation-travel-time-economic.

19 National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Comprehensive Costs of Highway-Rail Grade Crossing 

Crashes, Report 755.

20 Surface Transportation Board, 2016, at https://www.stb.gov/econdata.nsf/WageStatistics?OpenView.

21 2,035 passenger incidents * [($31.57 train employee wage rate * 1.75 burdened wages * 2 employees per train * 

4 hours per delay) + (200 passengers per train * $20.40 per passenger per hour * 4 hours per delay)].

22 7,328 freight incidents * [($637.26 value of goods per hour * 4 hours) + ($31.57 * 1.75 burdened wages * 

2 employees per train * 4 hours per delay)].
National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

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FRA’s Field Survey - Site Review Teams’ Executive Summaries

Based on the data and analysis described above, FRA deployed four trespasser site review teams 

to six counties in California, Illinois, Texas, and Florida. The teams were composed of FRA 

regional grade crossing inspectors and went to six of the top 10 counties nationwide for 

trespasser casualties. Each team had maps, tools, and data and reported on the number of trains 

passing through the area; the number of trespass violations local authorities and railroad police 

submitted and prosecuted; the amount of time law enforcement dedicated to addressing the issue 

of trespassing on railroad property; and the locations where trespassing was occurring. The 

teams also identified how close trespassing locations were to homeless communities and shelters, 

food pantries, and schools. Finally, the teams interviewed trespassers to find out why they were

trespassing, if they knew they were trespassing, if they knew trespassing was illegal, and to 

explain the dangers of trespassing. The teams gathered data for the period November 2013 to 

October 2017.

In summary, the site review teams found that individuals were often making conscious decisions 

to trespass as a matter of convenience and generally reported that they knew they were illegally 

trespassing. In one instance, FRA personnel observed schoolchildren and a school official 

trespassing on a railroad’s right-of-way. The site review teams also found that some locations 

lacked fencing or other physical barriers to the railroad’s right-of-way, while other locations had

fences that did not effectively deter trespassers. In one instance, trespassers regularly climbed or 

crawled through the cars of stopped trains to get to the other side of the tracks. The teams 

identified examples of potential poor community planning (e.g., parking lots intended for a 

building on the opposite side of the track from the building), and where prevention and 

engineering controls, such as fences, had been installed. Tables 4 to 7 below highlight each 

team’s findings by state.

Table 4: California Counties Reviewed by FRA Region 7 Grade Crossing Inspectors

County Rank for Number of Casualties Number of Casualties

Los Angeles 1 110

Riverside 7 46

San Diego 9 44

Contributing Factors

• Trespassing for convenience.

• Lack of deterrence, such as fencing, enforcement, or education.
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Table 4: California Counties Reviewed by FRA Region 7 Grade Crossing Inspectors

Considerations for Mitigation 

• Trespassers interviewed said they knew they were illegally trespassing.

• Railroad management reported frustration with ineffective education and enforcement efforts 

and stated that the next step is to explore the use of engineering solutions. 

• Railroads are using a tracking process to report homeless encampments on railroad right-of-way 

for targeted enforcement actions.

Table 5: Illinois County Reviewed by FRA Region 4 Grade Crossing Inspectors

County Name Rank for Number of Casualties Number of Casualties

Cook (focused on Chicago) 2 109

Contributing Factors

• Of 1,081 railroad trespasser violations, 435 (40 percent) were not prosecuted; 1,034 (almost 

96 percent) were filed by railroad police.

• County or city police departments issued less than 50 trespasser violations.

• Chicago Police stated that less than 1 percent of their calls are directly related to railroad 

trespassing, and they divert those calls to railroad police.

Considerations for Mitigation

• A significant number of trespasser fatalities occurred near homeless shelters, schools, and food 

pantries.

• Most track is railroad over grade (elevated track).

• Fencing was already installed at all locations visited; the assumption is that trespassers are 

climbing fences.
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Table 6: Texas County Reviewed by FRA Region 5 Grade Crossing Inspectors

County Name Rank in Number of Casualties Number of Casualties

Harris (focused on Houston) 4 52

Contributing Factors

• Of 228 trespassing violations issued October 2013-November 2017, 1 was prosecuted. 

• Trespassers regularly climb or crawl through the cars of stopped trains rather than wait or walk 

around.

Considerations for Mitigation

• City of Houston officials advocated for federal funding for cameras.

• High levels of trespassing near shelters and food banks.

Table 7: Florida County Reviewed by FRA Region 3 Grade Crossing Inspectors

County Name Rank in Number of Casualties Number of Casualties

Palm Beach County 6 47

Contributing Factors 

• Trespass occurs for convenience allowing the pedestrian a most direct path to their desired 

location. 

• Lack of grade crossings in large sections of track contributes to trespassing for convenience.

• Mid-block public bus stops between crossings were a contributing factor to trespass. 

• Multiple groups of schoolchildren and a vice-principal were observed trespassing upon school 

dismissal.

Considerations for Mitigation 

• Trespassers interviewed admitted they knew they were illegally trespassing.

• Moving public bus stops closer to grade crossings could be a viable mitigation strategy. 

• Location specific mitigations (physical barriers) to create more resistance, and in others, a need 

to provide a safer path of least resistance.

• A more comprehensive and focused survey should be performed to identify specific areas and 

effective methods of mitigation. This survey should be guided by the railroads, and should 

include state/local officials, state/local police departments, state/county school boards, and 

county/city transportation boards.
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Contributing Factors

FRA’s analysis of previous research and field survey identified two primary factors that 

contributed to trespassing incidents on railroad property and rights-of-way. First, trespassing 

starts with an individual choosing to enter or remain on railroad property without authority to do 

so. Most trespassers make this choice because crossing railroad property provides the most 

direct route to a desired destination. FRA’s survey teams found that trespassers often knew they 

were illegally on railroad property. Trespassers often do not have a sufficient understanding or

appreciation for the dangers of trespassing on railroad property.

Individual Contributing Factors

a) Personal convenience.

b) Lack of knowledge of or appreciation for the dangers of trespassing.

Second, from a community’s or local government’s perspective, other law enforcement and 

public safety issues are often the focus of their resources. FRA found in each of the top 10 

counties, over a four-year period, the number of railroad trespass casualties was less than two 

percent of the respective county’s total homicides, drug-related deaths, and highway fatalities. 

As a result, many communities prioritized their resources in ways that limit their ability to 

address railroad trespassing issues either through engineering solutions or public outreach and 

education. FRA’s field survey confirms that railroad trespassers are rarely prosecuted, thereby

reducing the perceived negative consequences of trespassing. Finally, community decisions, 

such as putting bus stops too far from safe crossing paths, might contribute to an increased 

number of trespassers.

Community Contributing Factors

a) No (or insufficient) dedicated resources (personnel or funding).

b) Lack of physical deterrents, such as fences, natural or engineered barriers, or obstacles.

c) Failure to prosecute trespassers by local judicial process.

d) Public perception of the dangers of trespassing on railroad property.

e) Poor community planning.
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Conclusion

FRA’s approach to the trespassing issue has not been national or proactive, but rather a program 

of national outreach and education. Regional FRA staff and resources react to specific trespasser 

issues on a case-by-case basis. FRA’s efforts have focused on data gathering, sharing, and 

outreach to the public, railroads, and law enforcement. FRA has considered specific trespassing 

problems as local problems and regional FRA safety personnel assisting local authorities and 

communities as the best way to address these issues. Regional FRA safety staff work with these 

communities and railroads to facilitate solutions to specific, local trespasser issues.

FRA’s current analysis demonstrates that it needs to do more than educate and facilitate 

mitigation when issues arise. Proactive use of current, relevant data and analysis to identify 

areas at systemically high-risk for trespassing incidents is the best way to develop and facilitate 

implementation of specific mitigation strategies with communities, local governments, law 

enforcement, and impacted railroads. Education and outreach are not enough. Engineering 

solutions (e.g., fencing, automated video detection systems) designed to prevent or discourage 

trespassing on railroad property can be utilized in conjunction with frequent and consistent 

enforcement of trespasser laws. FRA has developed the following national strategy, focusing on 

four strategic areas: (1) data gathering and analysis; (2) community site visits; (3) funding, and 

(4) partnerships with stakeholders.

The success of this national strategy depends on several factors outside of FRA’s control. FRA’s 

ability to gather and analyze railroad trespasser close call data is the cornerstone of this strategy. 

Railroads have been reluctant to share this information, because FRA does not have specific 

statutory authority to protect this data from disclosure and use in judicial or other actions to 

determine damages or liability for trespasser accidents. Without this data, FRA will be unable to 

understand fully this complex problem and target trespassing hot spots. Trespassing is generally 

a matter of state and local law, and enforced at each state and municipality’s discretion. Higherpriority law enforcement and other issues compete for the resources of local governments to 

address trespassing on railroad property. Successful implementation of this strategy will depend 

on the availability of sufficient resources and all stakeholders working together.
16

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National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

FRA’s national strategy to prevent trespassing on railroad property includes four strategic focus 

areas: data gathering and analysis, community site visits, funding, and partnerships with 

stakeholders. None of these focus areas alone is sufficient for preventing trespassing and a 

successful strategy must include a combination of approaches. Focusing on data gathering and 

analysis will enable FRA to target its resources to trespassing hot spots. Conducting community 

site visits will help FRA and other stakeholders build a pool of successful mitigation strategies. 

Requesting and providing funding will assist communities directly in securing solutions and 

resources they need to deter trespassing and build partnerships with communities, law 

enforcement, railroads and other organizations in addressing the trespassing problem. FRA will 

be able to leverage available resources, expertise, and local knowledge to combat the problem of 

trespassing.

Implementation of this strategy will transition FRA’s trespasser prevention program from 

regionally managed reactive efforts, to a centrally managed, data driven program designed to 

evaluate the risks of trespasser incidents throughout the Nation’s rail network. It will also help 

FRA work with communities and local law enforcement to identify and facilitate implementation 

of effective mitigation strategies. 

The strength of this approach is demonstrated by the following examples, identified when FRA 

developed this strategy.

One Central Problem. FRA survey teams identified convenience as the most consistent problem 

across surveyed areas—trespassers simply take the most direct routes to their desired 

destinations—and a main cause of trespassing, regardless of geographic location.

Three Local Solutions. FRA teams visited three communities that data indicated were hot spots 

for trespasser activity. FRA personnel observed trespassers crossing railroad property to travel 

from a bus stop to a residential neighborhood in West Palm Beach, Florida. Moving the bus stop 

closer to an authorized, safer crossing could eliminate the current path of convenience. FRA 

personnel observed people from a homeless encampment trespassing across railroad property to 

go into town near Riverside, California. In this case, solutions could include physical barriers, 

enhanced law enforcement presence, or relocating the homeless population to a safer location. In 

Oceanside, California, FRA personnel observed trespassers crossing railroad property to travel

from a residential neighborhood to the beach. Because neither the neighborhood nor the beach is 

a candidate for relocation, solutions to this problem could include physical barriers and 

additional enforcement.

FRA’s initial focus on gathering and analyzing appropriate data to identify trespassing hot spots

led the agency to send teams to conduct site visits. FRA identified mitigation strategies based on 
National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

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the specific local circumstances. FRA’s next step is to engage with local partners at each 

location to examine the feasibility of implementing appropriate mitigation measures.

The Four Strategic Areas of the National Strategy

Strategic Area 1. Data Gathering and Analysis. FRA’s strategy will be driven by reliable data. 

FRA will seek ways to improve the integration and presentation of this data into a more thorough 

picture of the trespass issue. FRA identified the 10 counties in the United States with the highest 

number of railroad trespassing casualties, yet FRA is missing a key piece of data that will enable 

it to identify geographical areas for the highest risk of trespassing incidents in the future.

FRA might not receive data related to trespassing incidents that do not result in death or injuries. 

A trespasser close call (or sometimes referred to as a near-hit) is a situation in which a trespasser 

is almost struck by a train, but escapes without injury and the incident is captured by a 

locomotive camera or reported by a train crew. This data is critical to identify the areas that are 

at high risk of trespasser accidents due to the number of trespasser close calls that occur in the 

area.

Obtaining trespasser close call incident data is essential to successful implementation of any data

driven proactive approach to addressing the trespasser issue. Close call data would enable FRA 

to better identify trespasser hot spots and could be particularly beneficial in deploying law 

enforcement and railroad police more efficiently and determining what, if any, engineering 

solutions may be feasible in particular circumstances. Thorough analysis of close call data 

would allow FRA to direct our resources to areas of highest value and to share risk information 

with our partners.

Many railroads already collect trespasser close call data for their own use. Railroads have not 

been willing to share this information with FRA without specific statutory authority to protect 

the data from disclosure and use in judicial or other actions to determine damages or liability for 

trespasser accidents or incidents. However, federal law does not prohibit the use of this data as 

evidence in federal or state court proceedings or other actions for damages or to determine 

liability for trespasser accidents or incidents. Other operating administrations, such as the 

Federal Highway Administration, have statutory authority23 to protect disclosure of data gathered

for highway safety projects.

Strategic Area 2. Community Site Visits. FRA will send teams to conduct site visits in 

communities with high numbers of trespass incidents. These teams will learn more about the 

specific local factors that contribute to trespassing and will work with local partners to help them 

implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of, targeted mitigation strategies. Curtailment of 

trespassing in these areas will contribute to a pool of successful strategies for use in other 

 

23 United States Code, title 23, section 409.
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communities. FRA will use this data to develop a trespass risk model to identify the current and 

future risk of trespassing for communities across the country.

Strategic Area 3. Funding. Funding is an important part of the direct and tangible support 

necessary to help communities reduce the number of trespassing incidents. Funding is necessary 

to enable local communities to implement targeted trespasser mitigation strategies, such as 

engineering solutions, law enforcement overtime, school resource officers, or community 

outreach. In February 2018, FRA published a notice of funding opportunity for a law 

enforcement pilot grant program aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of local law enforcement 

activities intended to reduce trespassing on railroads.24 This $150,000 grant opportunity was 

open to state, county, municipal, local, and regional law enforcement agencies in communities 

with a demonstrated rail trespass problem. FRA received final applications in April 2018 and 

expects to award the grants in the fall of 2018. FRA will evaluate the programs over six-month 

periods of performance.

FRA will work to increase stakeholder awareness of other funding opportunities. For example, 

trespassing prevention projects, including grade crossing improvements and engineering 

solutions targeting trespassing (e.g., barriers), could be eligible for funding under the

Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI), Restoration and 

Enhancement, or Federal State Partnership for State of Good Repair grant programs. Congress 

provided approximately $960 million in FYs 2017 and 2018 for these grants, with some setasides for specific priorities. FRA encourages potential applicants to contact FRA for technical 

assistance before applying for these programs, given the variation in program requirements.

Strategic Area 4. Partnerships with Stakeholders. FRA will continue to work with communities, 

local governments, law enforcement agencies, railroads, and other interested parties to combat 

the problem of trespassing. To maximize our reach and effectiveness, FRA will work with 

organizations whose goals align with ours, collaborating and breaking down silos to share 

knowledge and data, thematic with the Department’s priorities on safety. This includes sharing 

information and meeting directly with leadership from groups such as Operation Lifesaver, Inc., 

to raise awareness in hot spot communities; the Global Rail Alliance for Suicide Prevention to 

share strategies to deter suicides by rail; the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 

Administration to reduce the number of suicides; International Association of Chiefs of Police to 

share ideas with law enforcement; the National Organization of Youth Safety to find ways to 

reach younger populations more effectively; and community groups and leaders who have indepth knowledge of their local problem areas.

Transport Canada, the Department’s counterpart agency, is considering options for addressing 

the railroad trespasser issue in Canada. Transport Canada is developing a document addressing 

the history of the trespassing issue, access controls, and policy options for consideration. FRA 

 

24 Federal Register, volume 83, number 7842, Feb. 22, 2018.
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reviewed Transport Canada’s draft document, shared a draft of this report with Transport 

Canada, and held a teleconference to discuss both documents. Transport Canada’s findings are 

similar to the findings in this report and FRA intends to continue collaborating with Transport 

Canada to share ideas and additional discoveries to create a stronger strategy for both agencies.

Metrics for Success

The success of this national strategy depends not only on FRA’s actions, but also on the 

resources and actions of stakeholders. FRA will measure the success of this national strategy by 

the relative levels of stakeholder engagement on the issue and implementation of specific 

mitigation strategies that reduce trespasser accidents at identified hot spots. FRA will also 

measure the success of this national strategy by the change in the nationwide number of 

trespassing accidents.

Implementation Milestones and Timeline by Strategic Area

FRA expects to implement the national strategy, subject to the availability of resources, 

according to the following milestones in Table 8.

Table 8. Implementation Milestones and Timeline by Strategic Area

Milestone Timeline

Strategic Area 1. Data Gathering and Analysis

1. Transition from a regionally managed to a centrally managed,

data driven program to support trespasser prevention activities. 

Complete by January 2019

2. Identify, through independent analysis and collaboration with 

railroads and other stakeholders, known and new data sources 

that could better identify trespasser hot spots or risk factors that 

lead to trespassing.

Start by January 2019

3. Explore statutory, regulatory, or other authorities to protect 

railroad near-hit and close-call data from disclosure.

Start in FY 2019

4. Identify, through collaboration with railroads as appropriate,

existing and potential new analytical tools (including risk 

models) to effectively analyze trespasser data.

Start by January 2019

5. Develop an FRA trespass risk model to identify current and 

future risk of rail trespassing in communities across the country

(identify hot spots).

Complete by December 2019

6. Use developed risk model to perform initial risk assessments 

on identified hot spots

Complete by January 2020

7. Consider changes to accident and incident reporting regulations 

to improve rail trespasser data. Propose rule, if changes 

justified.

Complete by September 2020
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Table 8. Implementation Milestones and Timeline by Strategic Area

Milestone Timeline

Strategic Area 2. Community Site Visits

8. Develop system of communicating currently available data to 

FRA regions for targeted grade crossing and trespasser 

prevention program inspector and specialist actions. 

Complete by March 2019

9. Develop standard operating practices and procedures for FRA

community site visits, reporting, and monitoring effectiveness 

of any mitigation strategy employed.

Complete by June 2019

10. Assign regional assets to identified hot spots and arm them 

with data necessary to engage railroads, police and local 

governments in partnerships to identify location specific causal 

factors and assist with identifying and implementing mitigation 

strategies. 

Start in July 2019

Strategic Area 3. Funding

11. Work through the executive and Congressional budget cycles 

and reauthorization process to identify funds to strengthen 

grant programs that provide funding for trespasser mitigation, 

such as engineering solutions, law enforcement overtime, 

school resource officers, and outreach. 

Start in FY 2019

12. Work through the executive and Congressional budget cycles 

to identify funds for a national trespasser public service 

announcement campaign. Develop a series of announcements 

for distribution in targeted areas with high number of 

trespassing accidents.

Start in FY 2019

13. Work through the executive and Congressional budget cycles 

to identify funds for advocacy organizations to develop focused 

surveys of communities where trespasser incidents have been a 

persistent problem. Additional funding will be used to develop 

forms to collect information from the surveys, establish a 

database, and prepare reports for the communities and FRA. 

Start in FY 2019

14. Provide information on availability and process for applying 

for FRA grants and other funding (e.g., law enforcement and 

CRISI grants) during focused surveys and outreach. 

As funding becomes available
National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

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Table 8. Implementation Milestones and Timeline by Strategic Area

Milestone Timeline

Strategic Area 4. Partnerships with Stakeholders

15. Develop system of sharing trespasser hot spot data with 

advocacy organizations to focus their activities where they will 

yield the greatest returns on investment and establish 

communication and reporting procedures to share information 

and provide feedback on effectiveness of efforts. 

Complete by April 2019

16. Collaborate and partner with government agencies, such as the 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,

to develop and implement targeted outreach to address suicides 

by train. 

As appropriate, collaborate with international organizations, 

such as the Global Rail Alliance for Suicide Prevention, to 

share ideas on effective strategies to deter suicides by rail.

Complete by December 2020

17. Partner with law enforcement and other organizations (e.g.,

International Association of Chiefs of Police, National 

Organization of Youth Safety) to collaborate on effective 

trespass prevention and mitigation measures (e.g., enforcement 

of trespass laws, methods to raise awareness and more 

effectively reach younger population to prevent trespassing)

Complete by December 2019

18. Partner with the leaders of local communities to improve 

trespass prevention. Initially, FRA will communicate directly 

with the leadership of counties identified as having the highest 

number of railroad trespasser casualties.

Start by July 2019

19. Host trespasser prevention summits with representatives of the 

top 10 counties. Summits will include local community 

leaders, law enforcement, railroads and the public.

Complete by July 2020

20. Assist other agencies and organizations in developing and 

targeting trespasser prevention outreach campaigns to localities 

identified as trespassing hot spots. 

Complete by July 2020